[imagesource:youtube/cliffsean]

On Sunday night, a cold front swept over the country, dropping temperatures to the negatives in some parts, allowing snow to buffet down and surprise everyone on Monday morning.

Jethro Moyo, a bricklayer in Johannesburg, told Daily Maverick that he didn’t quite know what the weird stuff was that suddenly fell from the sky, saying “We call it ice, we didn’t know it was snow, because when it falls down it melts!”

Snow in Gauteng is indeed a rare occurrence with 2012 being the last time snowfall was recorded in Jozi. But on Monday morning, residents were treated to a flurry of snowflakes when they woke up.

@jessie_zinn Cannot believe i ever complained about Cape Town rain 😳 #fyp #tiktoksouthafrica #southafrica #snow #johannesburgsouthafrica #snowinjoburg #snowinjozi ♬ original sound – Traffic Jamz

It’s been one of the coldest winters in recent memory, with Monday recorded as the coldest day of the year so far – Johannesburg’s temperature dropped to -3C, OR Tambo to -4C, Irene to -1C, and Vereeniging to -5C.

The lodge is covered in a thick blanket of snow!

Fires will be ready for when our guests return from exploring the landscapes that have been transformed into a glistening white paradise.https://t.co/A55cd1SnRI #snow #lesotho pic.twitter.com/RTk7pSsyMB

— Semonkong Lodge (@Semonkonglodge) July 10, 2023

Snow in Jozi y’all:

Scenes from Johannesburg CBD! 🥶🥶🥶 please stay warm and safe 🙏🏾 #ColdFront pic.twitter.com/eJGQ0GvMeS

— PopCulture Princess (@KatlehoKGMR) July 10, 2023

😂😂😂 when it snows in Africa #snow #Johannesburg pic.twitter.com/uSUnDKjnix

— iamtheebrave (@Bchimanya) July 10, 2023

Aucklandpark snow… yes it’s snowing in Aucklandpark Johannesburg! #snow #ColdFront pic.twitter.com/EXOVRRyOAo

— Vision Tactical (@visiontactical) July 10, 2023

The Citizen reported the temperatures dropping to at least -6°C in the southern parts of Gauteng on Sunday evening:

On Monday morning, Saws confirmed that snow has been observed in parts of Gauteng, caused by an “intense upper through system” with minimum temperatures recorded to have met criteria for snowy conditions. The maximum temperatures are expected to reach 13°C in the northern areas of Gauteng.

Light snow fell in areas including Sandton, Soweto, Heidelberg, and Roodepoort.

It’s snowing in Joburg. pic.twitter.com/WYU1LoTXwS

— Toby Shapshak (@shapshak) July 10, 2023

All the adults become kids again:

The Snow in Johannesburg Gauteng. pic.twitter.com/LCwWYxC2rV

— Sophie Mokoena (@Sophie_Mokoena) July 10, 2023

It’s snowing in Gauteng#ColdFront pic.twitter.com/sl5TZDkFKp

— Billz (@BillzDaOriginal) July 10, 2023

We feel like kids…..wow THANK you mother nature. SNOW. #JoburgSnow pic.twitter.com/VQDDRv8wiz

— Clarence Watts (@clarencesdb) July 10, 2023

At the beginning of June, parts of the Eastern Cape had already transformed into something straight out of a fairy tale, with snow blanketing the landscape spectacularly.

Wayne Venter, meteorologist and forecaster at Saws, explained to Daily Maverick that for snow to occur, “several ingredients must be in place,” including moisture in the air, a low surface area and even lower atmospheric freezing levels.

JHB – N3 Route: #Snow at De Hoek plaza south of Heidelberg #ColdFront pic.twitter.com/NkNkx68Zfz

— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) July 10, 2023

All three ingredients were clearly in place at the right time yesterday, with Engelbrecht noting that the snow is not that exceptional, nor is it due to climate change.

It is beautiful, though.

[sources:ewn&dailymaverick&citizen]